Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahhyplav’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Fidahhyplav’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; early and freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with purple violet-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Dahlia variabilis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDAHHYPLAV’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidahhyplav’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new pot-type Dahlia plants that have a freely branching and flowering habit, attractive ray floret coloration and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in Hillegom, The Netherlands of an unnamed selection of Dahlia variabilis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia variabilis as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands since 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fidahhyplav’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidahhyplav’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Large inflorescences with purple violet-colored ray florets.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in ray floret coloration and plant shape.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia ‘Fidahhyppi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,254. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed primarily from plants of ‘Fidahhyppi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Fidahhyppi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia had larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Fidahhyppi’.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Fidahhyppi’ differed in ray         floret color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidahhyplav’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were nine weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis ‘Fidahhyplav’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Dahlia             variabilis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             variabilis, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at             temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 12 days             at temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days             at temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; tuber development has not             been observed.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly             spreading and mounding plant form; broad inverted triangle;             three primary lateral branches develop, each primary lateral             branch with numerous secondary branches; inflorescences held             above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; bushy and dense             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 33 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. Aspect:             Erect to somewhat outwardly spreading. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be simple or             compound with three or five leaflets; measurements are for             simple leaves.         -   Length.—About 11 cm.         -   Width.—About 7 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate to dentate.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent;             slightly rough.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to N137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 138A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 143A tinted slightly with close to 178B.             Color, lower surface: Close to 143A tinted heavily with             close to 178B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and arrangement.—Rotate double inflorescence form             with ray florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;             inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; inflorescences face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit, about 20 inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from spring             through the autumn in The Netherlands; early flowering             habit, plants begin flowering about seven to eight weeks             after planting.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two weeks on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Globular, flattened. Color: Close to N144A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 11 cm. Depth (height):             About 6 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.7 cm. Receptacle height:             About 2 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 2 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 100 arranged             in about nine whorls. Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About             2.4 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute or cuspidate. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Initially upright to             eventually roughly perpendicular to the peduncle; ray             florets cupped. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N80A;             towards the base, close to 59A. When opening, lower surface:             Close to N80B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N80B to             N80C; towards the base, close to 59A. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to N80B to N80C.         -   Disc florets.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Tubular, elongated; apices obtuse. Number of disc             florets per inflorescence: About 87. Color, when opening and             fully opened: Apex: Close to 14A. Mid-section: Close to 25A.             Base: Close to 145D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About six to eight             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width:             About 5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Aspect: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per floret: About             two. Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to             14A. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic. Anther length: About             2 mm. Anther color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 24A. Gynoecium: Not observed.             Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia tolerate high     temperatures of about 35° C. and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 8. 

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahhyplav’ as illustrated and described. 